Tuesday, June 17, 2008

"The IDF will respect a cease-fire but is also getting ready for a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip," Israeli occupation army Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said on Tuesday during a session of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Ashkenazi also spoke of conditions in the West Bank, saying that the Palestinian Authority's policemen "are doing their work in the field of law and order, but not in the field of security."

Regarding Hezbollah, Brig. Gen. Yossi Baidatz, head of Military Intelligence's Research Branch, said that the group has built an infrastructure of underground tunnels despite Resolution 1701. "The only thing different today is that Hezbollah flags aren't hanging outside," he added.

In related news, the London-based Al-Hayat reported Tuesday that the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas will include three stages. Palestinian sources told the Arabic daily that the cease-fire will be in place for six months at first, and will later include the West Bank as well.

According to the report, the first stage of the cease-fire will take place once Israel opens the Karni and Sufa crossings. During the second stage, which will start a week later, Israel is set to remove certain limitations on the goods which are allowed entry into Gaza [say what??].

The third stage, which is set to start a week later, will include discussions on a new mechanism of operating the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt [what a joke!]........"